2021 NAPLAN Parent Talk

What is NAPLAN?The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an annual national assessment for all students in Years 3, 5, 7, and 9.

All students in these year levels are expected to participate in tests in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy.

Purpose of the TestsThe NAPLAN tests are designed to assess the skills of Australian students in literacy and numeracy. The specific purposes are:

•to collect data from the population of Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 students for reporting to parents/carers and schools for systematic reporting

•to accommodate the assessment of students against national minimum standards.

•To provide schools, states and territories with information about how education programs are working and which areas need to be prioritised for improvement.

What is Tested?A series of tests will assess areas of literacy and numeracy.

The following areas of literacy are assessed:

• Language conventions - spelling, grammar and punctuation

• Writing - knowledge and control of written language

• Reading - comprehension.

As in other years, students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 will be required to respond to a stimulus in the NAPLAN Writing test. Students are asked to write a response to the task in a maximum of three pages.

The response formats for questions on all other test papers will be either multiple choice (shade a bubble to indicate the answer) or constructed response (write the answer in a box or on a line).

In numeracy, the content areas assessed are:

• Number

• Measurement, chance and data

• Space

• Algebra, function and pattern.

NAPLAN assesses a student’s ability to apply their learning and is therefore a test of skill rather than a test of learned content knowledge.

Assessment and Reporting

Results from the tests will provide information about children's progress in literacy and numeracy. Following the tests, schools and students will receive a statement of performance in relation to the national minimum standards.

NAPLAN tests are one aspect of the school’s assessment and reporting process, and do not replace the extensive, ongoing formative and summative assessments made by teachers about each student’s performance.

2021 Time of TestingTuesday 11 May Official test date

Wednesday 12 May Official test date

Thursday 13 May Official test date

Friday 14 MayCatch up tests permitted

Language conventions Year 3: 45 min Year 5: 45 min

Reading Year 3: 45 min Year 5: 50 min

Numeracy Year 3: 45 min Year 5: 50 min

Writing Year 3: 40 min Year 5: 40 min

Writing – Persuasive TextWriting: students write a persuasive text in response to a given stimulus. They are assessed on the quality and organisation of ideas, structuring of sentences and use of correct spelling and punctuation.

Writing – Narrative TextWriting: students write a narrative text, a story, in response to a given stimulus. They are assessed on the quality and organisation of ideas, structuring of sentences and use of correct spelling and punctuation.

Language Conventions

Language Conventions: students identify and correct spelling errors and answer questions on aspects of grammar and punctuation.

Examples of test can be found at https://www.acara.edu.au/assess

ment/naplan

How is the school preparing my child for NAPLAN?

• We are preparing students for NAPLAN at school through good quality teaching.

• All teachers “own” NAPLAN. Prep to Year 6.

• Children are engaged in Test Wiseness activities at school. The aim of these activities is for students to be familiar with test instructions and common forms of questions.

• Adequate preparation ensures that students feel comfortable in the testing environment and are able to confidently demonstrate what they know and can do.

How can I help my child prepare for NAPLAN?

▪ Focus on doing their best.

▪ Validate your child’s feelings if they’re feeling nervous, tell them that it’s normal to feel a little nervous. Listen to any of their concerns.

▪ Give them some relaxation ideas.

▪ Give them a good breakfast on each of the assessment days.

▪ Be positive when asking your child how the test went. If you act worried, your anxiety will be noticed.

▪ Treat the test as just one component of your child’s educational achievements.

▪ Make sure your child’s sleeping and waking schedule is regular in the days leading up to and during the assessment period.

Above all have a positive view of NAPLAN – a positive caring attitude is the best thing you can do to support your child.

Where can I get more information?

For more information about NAPLAN:

• visit National Assessment Program www.nap.edu.au

• visit QCAA www.qcaa.qld.edu.au

PLEASE REMEMBER